


the night we met

by just tired (stillredhead_just_tired)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: How Do I Tag, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, I'll tag as I go, M/M, Not Beta Read, Rating May Change, Soulmates, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Wizarding Laws (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-14 18:13:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29920833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stillredhead_just_tired/pseuds/just%20tired
Summary: There’s a lot Harry doesn’t know or just doesn't understand about the wizarding world, when he starts having dreams about a boy named Tony that lives in America he dismisses it as a thing that happens in the wizarding world. He’s not completely wrong.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Tony Stark
Comments: 11
Kudos: 110





	1. never think twice

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU and I didn't want to work with the age difference in this one so the story begins in 1995 Harry is 15 and Tony is 17, let's go with that.  
> If you think of a tag I should have used let me know.  
> Enjoy!

His nights were literal nightmares, whenever he closed his eyes to sleep chances were that Voldemort was going to send him some kind of vision, when there were no visions there were memories. Never a dull moment in Harry’s life, and now not even a peaceful sleep. 

As usual, it began with a normal dream, for a few seconds he was just flying around the Quidditch field and then he was standing in a living room, whoever lived there had good taste and had the money to spend, this was the type of house Aunt Petunia dreams about. The space was open, and in the middle of it there was a very expensive looking piano, Harry sat on the maroon leather couch and tried not to disturb the other boy in the living room. 

The boy didn’t look much older than Harry, he had deep brown hair, and was using a suit, all black, the jacket thrown on top of the piano. From afar he couldn’t be sure but it looked like the boy may have been crying, Harry wasn’t one to judge anyway. The song was hauntingly beautiful, he was very skilled, his fingers flying over the keys with precision. Harry thought he had never seen such beauty. He sat on the couch all night, the boy played all night, piece after another, all of them perfect if a little sad. 

When it was time to wake up Harry was almost sad.

It was by far the best night of sleep he had that summer, not even Dudley could spoil it, he also couldn’t stop thinking about the boy, he thought he would recognize his face, Hermione told him once that every face on dreams belongs to someone you’ve seen while awake, but Harry was certain he wouldn’t have forgotten who the boy was.

A headache-free day was good, but as usual it didn’t last, a couple of days later he was attacked by dementors forcing him to use magic in front of muggles, and as if his life wasn’t bad enough, he was also about to be expelled from Hogwarts. A day after the attack he was ready to have a nightmare about green lights and cold monsters. So he was very surprised when he noticed he was in some well lit muggle laboratory, he was expecting Voldemort to appear from somewhere with some doctor talking about experiments and torture methods. 

He was even more surprised when the boy from before came in, he was even more breathtaking from this close, and Harry was not ready nor had the time for this type of questioning. The boy was surprised by his presence, he did a double-take to check if Harry was really there before smirking. “And who are you supposed to be?” 

Harry could be more insulted but considering it was a dream he only shrugged. “I’m Harry Potter, and who are you?”

The boy smiled and sat on a bench. “Tony Stark.”

“Pleasure.”

Harry sat on a sofa behind the work table. “So you work here?” 

“Sometimes, I have several labs, this one is for my personal use.”

“You often dream about your work?”

“Honestly, yes.” Tony looked back to throw Harry a smile. “My mind is always working on a problem or project, so I guess it bleeds to my dreams.”

“That sounds bloody awful.” Tony turned his whole body to stare at Harry and then he was full-on laughing, eyes closed and head thrown back, Harry was a little bit in love already.

* * *

Tony didn’t fully understand what Harry was, he imagined his subconscious was trying to say something, he just didn’t know what. Dreaming of Harry did feel different from other dreams, he couldn’t explain it fully, but after that first night he met Harry even Jarvis commented that he was more relaxed. 

That first in the lab was a surprise, Harry was sassy but he didn’t disturb Tony, he asked a couple of questions about the things around the lab, what was this or that, what was he building, but mostly he stayed quiet. He stayed on the sofa the whole night watching Tony, it was both scary and flattering.

The second time he dreamed with Harry they were on a beach one he used to go with his mother a long time ago, the sun was out but he couldn't feel the heat nor hear the sound of the waves, Harry looked around and smiled, Tony remembers thinking that it was a beautiful smile. But again Harry was a creation of his subconscious, so it made sense for him to be appealing to Tony.

“I've never been to the beach.” Harry sat and proceeded to bury his hands and feet on the sand trying to feel what it was like. “The dreams could have a little more realism.”

“My mom used to take me here whenever we were in town. Makes sense I’m dreaming about it.”

Tony was more thinking aloud than talking to him but Harry turned to him. “What do you mean?”

“I took control of my father’s industries today, I was thinking about the day they died.”

“I’m sorry. If it’s any consolation my parents are also dead.” 

Tony laughed. “It is, after all, two orphans are better than one.”

“How did your parents die? Mine were murdered by a psychopath when I was one.” Harry said it flippantly but Tony could guess it was a touchy subject by the way his smile subdued.

“Mine were killed in a car crash after Howard... my father had a few too many. At least I was seventeen already.”

After that they talked little about heavy stuff, Tony talked about his favourite bands and Harry admitted never listening to any of them between laughs as Tony performed the most famous ones.

The third time he saw Harry they were in his living room, Tony smiled at him but Harry seemed to be in a mood, his jaw was set and he had a frown. Tony could respect that, he went to the piano and started playing, at the end of a piece or another Harry sat by him on the bench his head resting on Tony’s shoulder as if it meant nothing. 

“You play wonderfully.” 

“Why, thank you, Harry.” Harry laughed and Tony considered it a victory. 

“I wish I could play something.” His voice was small and soft. 

“I can teach you.” Tony said without thinking, he was about to make light of it when he saw the smile Harry was giving him.

He refused to have a crush on his imaginary friend.

* * *

Harry was still smiling when he woke up, dreaming of Tony was becoming his favourite time of the day. He still had nightmares and his mood swings were still affecting his day to day life.

He knew he should talk to someone about it, by now he could guess what was considered normal in the wizarding world and although he didn’t want to believe it, his dreams with Tony weren’t completely normal. But he really didn’t want it to end, and he could see it already, he would tell someone about it they would discuss and someone would tell Dumbledore and he would sit being reprimanded about something he couldn’t really control, but he would be forbidden of ever doing it again. 

How Dumbledore would control his dreams he doesn’t know, but he knows nothing good will last forever, especially not when he was concerned. So he would keep his mouth shut about Tony and keep this one secret close to his heart.

“Come on, mate, or we won’t have any food left, the house is always so full now.” Ron passed him, and Harry had to force himself from smiling so hard. “You could ask for a later birthday party, maybe mum will make a cake.”

“If she bakes a cake, what makes you believe that you’ll get a piece?”

“Harry! You’re supposed to be my best mate, that’s betrayal!” Harry laughed and skipped down in front of Ron who followed him to the kitchen with a satisfied smile on his face.

The kitchen really was full, and they were late, there was no bacon left for Ron’s dismay. He sat by Sirius as usual, trying to enjoy the most he could of his godfather, Remus had told him once that Sirius liked muggle bands so Harry tried to remember the bands Tony had told him about and asked Sirius if he had records. He spent his breakfast talking to Sirius about rock bands. When he was done with his food he asked Mrs Weasley when they would go to Diagon Alley to get the school supplies.

Mrs Weasley patted his head. “Don’t worry about it, honey we’ll get everything you need, no need for you to expose yourself to danger.”

Harry nodded and thanked her even though he felt like screaming, he was used to the unfairness of his life, he escaped a prison to another. He would have to leave the house anyway for his audience, the least they could do was to let him have a little fun in Diagon Alley while doing so. He didn't want to spoil his good humour so he kept his mouth shut for the rest of his meal.

“Sirius, do you know how to play piano?”

“Actually yes, why do you ask?” 

Harry shrugged. “After breakfast could you teach me?”

“Of course, pup.” Sirius looked at him a little confused. “Can I ask where this came from?”

“Boredom.” It felt more of an excuse than an explanation, but Sirius let it slide. Sadly he wasn’t lying about the boredom, but he also wanted to surprise Tony the next time they met.

Sirius led him to the parlour, there was a piano in the middle of the room, it was beautiful if not well conserved, Sirius took his wand out and with a few flicks the piano was dust-free.

“It shouldn’t be in tune after so long, but there’s a spell for it.” Sirius fixed the piano and a few moments later he had some music sheets with him, Harry was no stranger to music sheets, but he couldn't understand anything. Sirius was patient, and actually a really good teacher.

For the first hour or so all Harry did was to try and understand the notes, he could find them on the keys and knew what they were supposed to sound like. The next hour he was actually trying to play, it really was a beautiful instrument, he couldn't wait to see Tony playing again, he wanted to watch Tony fingers flying through the keys, before he had always been so distracted by his face, and smile, and hair… anyway. 

He knew it would take years for him to get to be even half as proficient, but for now all he wanted was to surprise Tony. by hour four Sirius made no signs of stooping so neither did Harry, eventually Remus came around to offer them lunch.

They had sandwiches for lunch with some chips, Mrs.Weasley wasn’t around he guessed that was the reason for Sirius' better mood while they ate. After they finished lunch Remus joining them, and Harr6 asked Sirius to teach him at least one piece. It was sweet and short, it only took Harry Harry an hour to get the whole thing right and then a couple more for him to memorize. 

The rest of the evening they didn't leave the piano room, both Sirius and Remus telling Harry stories of the past, not all of them with his parents in it, he was glad to get to know them without his father being the only reason why they did talk to him. Remus was also very snarky once he gets going, maybe even a match to Snape, when said so to Sirius the man laughed.

“Don’t let Remus lie to you, pup, he has a smart mouth, even worse than James.” 

“That’s pure calumny, cub. Sirius just can’t accept the fact that I had better grades than him in Defense.”

“Defense was my class and you knew it!”

That night Harry was beyond satisfied, he could play a song on the piano for Tony, and he had a great day overall. For the first time when lying in bed, he forced himself to think of Tony, to imagine where the other boy was, and how badly he wanted to see him. 

* * *

For the first time, Tony didn’t know where he was, Harry was sitting on a very old sofa, his eyes closed. 

“Harry?” Those bright green eyes focused on him and Harry gave him a big smile. 

“It worked.”

“What did?” Tony asked, sitting by his side, for an ancient museum piece the sofa was very comfortable.

“I wanted to show you something so I tried to force you to appear. And here you are.” 

And just what does that mean for Tony? Harry also thinks he is a figment of his imagination, did his brain cooked up this place from some old memory? “Where is here?” 

“My Godfather's place, I'm staying here for the rest of the summer.” That was a lot of information, that implied that Harry was a real living human, like him, and not only an imaginary friend. Tony didn’t know what to do with that information, if the other boy was real, ignoring the weird dream sharing, it meant Tony was free to crush as hard as wanted on Harry. “Come on, I want to show you something.” Harry got up and mindlessly offered him a hand.

Tony never wished so hard to be wrong, as he took Harry’s hand and followed the boy, he needed for Harry to exist in the real world. He was never so right than when he was with Harry, he was only holding his hand but he wanted. He wanted all those big grins and shiny green eyes and wanted to keep it all locked away just for him. 

The house was big and old, they stopped at an old fashioned tea room, the whole decor screamed ‘I was born in old money’, there was a piano by the wall. Oh, Harry wanted his lessons. But before he could say anything Harry was sitting on the bench. 

“Now, be nice I only had three hours or so of lessons.” And he started playing. It was a short piece, and it was evident Harry had just learned how to play, but the fact that Harry learned a whole piece just to play to him made him go all weird inside. When Harry was done and looked up at Tony he was smiling cautiously. “So?”

“Can I take you out?” He blurted out, Harry made the cutest confused face. “I mean, can I have your number?... So we can talk… you know while awake?” And now Harry was going to tell him he was imaginary and that this was all a direct consequence of his college years. 

Harry scratched the back of his head, obviously nervous. “I don’t have a phone.” Tony must have made some kind of face because Harry was quick to explain. “It's complicated, the community I live in, we don’t believe in technology.”

Tony laughed, that was the most creative way to say no, but when he looked back at Harry, the boy was red in embarrassment. “Shit, really?” 

“Yeah.” Harry looked sheepishly. “My best mate’s father doesn’t even understand what electricity is, can’t spell it either.”

“So what, you guys use candles? How do you communicate? And how do you store food?”

Harry laughed and made a grand gesture with his hands and Tony now saw all the candles burning around the room, the very old and ancient-looking room. “Is all very medieval honestly, fashion included. I only entered the community when I was eleven so I know some of the modern things. But, yes, candles. And we use letters to communicate, we even have our own postal service apart from the national one. And I believe our food goes into iceboxes, but I don’t know how they work.”

Tony’s mind is reeling it was a lot for just one night if Harry really was real he was part of some backwards society. But one thing at a time. “Thank you for the song, it was lovely.” He said finally, and Harry blushed beautifully. “So, can I send you a letter?” 

Harry grinned relieved. “Yes. Yes, please.” The boy took a pen that was on top of the piano. “Like I said we have our own postal service so you have to be very careful when addressing it, there’s a code, but it doesn’t cost anything to actually post it.” Harry wrote something on his hand. “I’ll be waiting, Tony.”

Tony really wanted to kiss him but before he could do anything more than brush Harry’s hair out of his eyes Jarvis was waking him up and telling him to go take a shower. But before he dismissed the whole encounter as wishful dreaming he saw his hand. 

_Harry Potter_

_WW_

_Britain_

_Family Post_


	2. i took an interest in the things that you like

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just a short filler to move things forward, no letters yet, but they'll be the main attraction in chapter 3😊  
> Also, all the titles are from songs, so just for fun, I'll list them from now on.  
> Title: Remember That Night? - Sara Kays  
> Chapter 1: this is how you fall in love - Jeremy Zucker, Chelsea Cutler  
> Chapter 2: Crush - Tessa Violet  
> If you have any song you thing fit these dumdums let me know.  
> Thank you all for the comments and kudos!! They really give me inspiration to write ❤

“I sent you a letter.” Harry turned around, Tony was resting against a countertop. They’re in a kitchen, a very modern one too, all sleek marble and expensive wood.

“I'll love to read it.” 

“I hope so, it took me a long time to even find out what to write in a letter, to begin with. And then I had to control myself not to send you all the Star Wars VHS.”

Harry laughed. “I’m sorry you had to go through such hardship. And I promise to send you one back.” He looked around. “Now, why are we in a kitchen?” 

“Well, you told me about how your community didn’t use electronics nor appliances so I just got curious about… everything and went to sleep thinking about kitchens.” 

“Next time I’ll show how a house is in my community.” Harry promised. Tony’s eyes were shining, the boy really was way too curious. And Harry really wanted to show him everything, explain all the cool things he had learned, he knew Tony would love the magical tents as much as he did. But he was also afraid Tony would let something slip and get them both in trouble, the boy had such an incredible mind and there's no telling what would happen if it was messed with an Obliviate.

Harry got really serious. “So, Tony, is just that we.. the community, we suffered a lot of discrimination, is the main reason why we try to keep distant from the rest of the world.” Tony looked like he was processing the information, thinking hard. “Just try to keep things on the down-low, I don’t want to lie to you, but I also don’t want to wake up to my house on fire.”

“I would never tell anyone where your house is, Harry.” Tony promised and Harry believed him, Tony was probably trying to understand what the hell Harry was, but before he got to know Tony better he couldn’t tell him the whole truth. “Are you a gipsy?” Was the question, and Harry held back a laugh.

“Kind of.” That was actually a really good guess with the information given, Harry could work with that.

“Seriously?” 

“Kind of, yes. We don’t move around and we dress way less fashionably.” Harry explained laughing. “But I do have a Divination Professor who is trying to teach us how to see the future.” Harry was smirking, he was also testing the waters with Tony, to see how the boy would answer to a little bit of magic. 

Tony chucked, that was a good reaction to Divination, not an uncommon one either. “Really? And what of it? Do you know your future?” 

“Hell no. I’m pants in divination, everyone knows you either have the gift or not, you can’t actually learn these things, is a gift.”

“Why take the class then?” 

“Easy grade, low effort.” They were both smiling and laughing, at school and even during summer with Ron and Hermione, he couldn’t remember laughing so much, feeling so carefree. Spending time with Tony was refreshing in so many ways. “You know, for her class we have to keep a dream journal, so me and my dormmates have an ongoing competition of who can come up with the more disturbing dreams.” 

“That’s evil.” Was the answer but Tony was laughing.

“No, it isn’t, when I was thirteen she said I was going to die. Sean made her read about his romantic dream with a gigantic squid, I felt avenged.” 

“Fair enough, when I was taking my Phd last year I got angry with a professor, so as my final I sent in a paper that disproved his thesis.” Harry wanted to ask was a Phd but didn’t want to sound dumb. He knew Tony was way smarter, but he didn’t seem to have the need to show it around, but even so Harry didn't want the other boy to think him stupid. “I also had a bird class, but in my case it was literature.” 

“Bird class?” 

“Hm, you know, a class you fly by. But at least I got to write about Tolkien, effortless.”

“Who?” Tony stared at him surprised.

“Tolkien.” When all he got was no recognition Tony let out a mortified sound. “You know, the writer of Lord of the Rings?” 

“Oh! I’ve heard of those, but I didn’t know it was a book.” Hermione probably knew about it, he would ask her about it tomorrow. 

“And with no technology you probably never watched Star Wars or Doctor Who.”

“Sorry?” 

“No reason to apologize.” Tony drummed his fingers against the counter blushing. “It just means we will have to have a lot of movie nights to make up for lost time.”

“I look forward to it.” Harry smiled at Tony blushing, he was so lucky, usually he didn't get to have good things, his life was always one step away from complete doom, but Tony was perfect. He wasn't sure if deserved it at all but he was so glad to have him in his life. Anyway he could. He looked around the kitchen. “Want to learn how to make biscuits?” 

“Biscuits?" Harry wanted Tony to look at him like that forever. "Sure, why not, I can even make some for Jarvis.” 

In the morning, wake and ready, Harry decided to look for Hermione before breakfast, Ron was already downstairs, and Sirius had promised to show his David Bowie collection after food, so now was the time to talk in relative peace. “Mione? You busy?” 

Hermione invited him inside the room. “Not at all. All good, Harry?”

“Sure, sure. Just wanted to ask if you’ve read Lord of the Rings?”

“Sure I have, is a great read.”

“So… what is it about?”

“Oh, no.” The girl got up from where she was getting her shoes and got a book from her trunk. “It’s a fantasy, if you’re interested in it, read.” She said handing him the book and going back to her shoes, once she was done she turned to him. “Why the sudden interest, anyway?”

Harry bit his lip, he wanted to tell Hermione, not everything, but he knew he could trust her. Knowing Hermione if he told her about the dreams she would even find out how they were happening and why. But what if he did tell her and she decided to tell an adult? Besides, maybe Sirius Harry wasn’t really trusting any of the adults in his life right now. 

… maybe just not the whole truth. “I made a friend, we were talking and he said something about Tolkien and he looked so sad when I told him I never read his books, nor I knew who the author was.”

“So you decided to read the book? So you can talk about it with him?” Hermine confirmed, smirking. 

“Well, yeah, that’s the plan.” He looked up from the map on the inside of the book and Hermione’s smile was all-knowing. “What?” 

“Nothing, nothing at all, Harry, is just cute… you and your friend.” Before he could process it she was getting up. “Tell me what you think later.”

“Hm, sure.” Harry left the book on his bed and they went to the stairs together.

“Harry?”

“Yeah?”

“Why did you want to learn how to play the piano?”

“I wanted to play a song to my friend.” Hermione made a noise. “I’m just returning a favour.” 

“I didn’t say anything.” The girl skipped ahead, when he got to the kitchen she was already sitting all smug about something.

Harry didn’t want to think about hard things yet, he liked Tony, and he knew he was going out of his way learning how to play an instrument and reading a book just so he could understand and please Tony. He also knew these weren’t what one did for a new friend, but there was way too much on his mind already to add more at this moment. Better to leave it be for a while. 

He was happily munching on his eggs when Mr Weasley called him. “Tomorrow is your audience, Harry, you better leave your smart clothes out.”

“Smart clothes?” He stage whispered to Sirius. 

“Button-down and fitting bottoms.” Sirius answered and looked down at his jeans. “No jeans, pup.”

“Fine, got it.” He kept eating his eggs, just way angrier. “This is a circus, just so you know.”

Sirius snorted. “The whole wizarding world is a circus. No wonder most muggleborns decide to go back to the muggle world after Hogwarts.”

“Can you imagine, though, to live without magic?” Ron said horrified.

“At least they have electricity.” Tonks said her hair a bright spiked violet. “And movies, and they’ve been to the moon!” 

“And the music is great, and the clothes are so comfortable.” Bill agreed. 

Mrs Weasley cleared her throat. “Well, both worlds are great, thankfully we have magic and get to live here. And yes, the Ministry may have its faults but which government doesn't, right?” 

And as it is when Mrs Weasley gets in on the conversation, that was it. End of discussion. 

Sirius was taking out a box full of vinyl records from under his bed. “Look, pup, after this is all over, the war, Voldemort, your schooling, if you decide to get your things and move that’s an option. If you want to see more of the magical word, travel around, or even go back and settle down on the muggle word, you can. That’s your choice.” 

Harry started at his godfather once more wishing that he could have been the one to raise him. “Thank you, Sirius.” 

“You’re welcome. But you don’t have to thank me for telling you to go live your life.” Sirius put a record on. “All you need to be is happy.” 

He refused to cry, sitting on the floor of Sirius' teenage room, with his godfather listening to Bowie for the first time, he was happy. It was a Patronus worthy memory.

After a whole day trying to put his mind in order he ended knockin on Hermione’s door after lunch, she was sitting on one of the bed reading. “I haven’t told anyone.”

“I gathered.” She smiled. “I’ll keep your secrets.”

“Thanks.” He stayed standing in the middle of the room staring at his shoes. 

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“He thinks I’m a gipsy!” He exclaimed, throwing himself on the other bed. “I hate lying to him, but I’m already on thin ice with the Ministry. And I was trying to explain that we don’t use modern things, and he asked if I was a gipsy and I said yes.” Hermione was trying not to laugh on his face, he could tell. “I mean at least it is a good cover-up, it explains a lot, and I have an excuse for when he mentions things I know nothing about. And I told him he could send me letters, because he asked to keep in touch and how could I say no?” 

“Harry, calm down.” Hermione was playing with his hair, subtly trying to untangle it. “If this… relationship goes on, you just need to fill some forms and you will be able to tell him the truth. And it's not a crime to exchange letters, if you want to keep in touch you have this right.”

Hermione was great, everyone deserves a Hermione, she always knows what to say to put his mind in order. “I also haven’t stopped to think about where this is going. With this mess tomorrow and Voldemort looming over my existence, it doesn’t seem like a good idea to start something.” 

“Why not?” Hermione asked and Harry did a double-take to be sure she was still Hermione. “I mean, if anyone deserves a distraction is you.” 

“He’s not a distraction.” He mumbled.

“Of course not.” She said and kept petting his hair. 

* * *

Tony was debating if sending Harry a beautiful The Last Jedi novel was too pretentious when someone knocked on his door, he put the book away not in the mood to play twenty questions with Jarvis again. because apparently baking some cookies wasn’t a natural behaviour… for him. 

But instead of Jarvis checking on him it was his godmother, he turned to see her standing there in all her glory. “Hi, Antonio. I hope you don’t mind, I wanted to surprise you.” He went to hug her. “Is always good to see you, Aunt Peggy, I didn’t even know you’re in town.”  
“That’s the point of a surprise.”

“You actually come in great time, I want to talk to you about something.”

“Hmm, what did you do now?”

“Absolutely nothing, I’m behaving.” He gave her a sweet smile, and it was true. The last time he drank was at least a couple of weeks ago, and if this had anything to do with Harry nobody needed to know.

They ended up in the living room, Jarvis came around with ice tea and the cookies Tony had made that morning. “These were made by Master Antony.” He stated proudly.

“My Tony?” She asked in disbelief biting one. 

“Yes, with his own hands, I was impressed.” 

“And it’s good.” She said surprised.

Tony’s face was completely red by then. “Is just a cookie. I built a computer from scratch when I was seven.”

“Well, yes, but we all expected that. Cookies, though, that’s a surprise.” Aunt Peggy took another cookie. “What brought this on?”

“Harry taught me how to bake.” Tony was staring at the piano trying to decide how much he wanted to share with Peggy, he actually wanted to keep Harry all to himself, but also needed someone to tell him if he was crazy or not. 

“Harry?” Aunt Peggy asked full of interest. And just like that Jarvis left the room, Tony wouldn’t mind if the older man stayed, but it was hard to explain to Jarvis that he was more of a father than Howard ever was. So as usual when the subject was feelings, he didn’t say anything. “Tonio?”

“Sorry, just promise me you won’t send me to a mental facility.” 

Aunt Peggy changed her posture and was obviously controlling her face now, usually when it was only the two of them she wouldn't feel the need to hide behind masks, but Tony couldn’t blame her, he was the one bringing up mental facilities as a conversation opener.

“So, I started having these dreams during summer, always with the same boy. At first, I thought he was just an imaginary person my mind created so I would have someone to talk to after my parents. But he had this whole life story, and he has a temper, I mean why would my mind give my conversation buddy a temper, right? And he’s just so beautiful.” Aunt Peggy was chucking around her glass. “So I thought, maybe he’s real, maybe he exists in the real world, so I asked for his number, and he told me he's a gipsy, and that the community he lives in doesn’t have phones, what sounds like a lie but he seemed honest, actually he seems honest to a fault maybe even a little naive. But anyway he told me I could send him a letter… a letter. By then I was sure he was just a character created inside my mind, but when I woke up I swear, Aunt Peggy, his address was written on my hand. What do you think? Am I insane?” He was about to cry in frustration and Aunt Peggy started to laugh. Loudly.

“Oh, Tonio! This is incredible!” Maybe they were both insane. “Tony, you found your soulmate.” Yes, they’re all insane. “This is completely normal; but so special. The shared dreams are just the first step, eventually if Harry feels something very strongly you will feel it too.”

“Does it happen to everyone? Why nobody talks about it? You have any idea how worried I was that I was just going insane?”

“Oh, no, it did happen to me that’s the only reason why I know about it, it only happens with people from the community Harry lives in. It’s not uncommon, but people in this community don’t talk about it openly, they believe that announcing it aloud or even just discussing it will diminish the chance of them ever finding their soulmates.”

Tony was staring at her, trying to burn every piece of information to his brain so he could talk to Harry later. “So it only happens inside Harry’s community but it may affect people outside. And Harry very probably doesn’t know anything because they don’t talk about it.”

“Exactly. This community is big and secretive, they have their own government and laws, so don’t be angry with Harry for not telling everything.”

Tony was happy, he had found out why Harry was sharing dreams with him, and there was no doubt that Harry really existed now. Somewhere in London in his Godfather’s house learning how to play the piano and probably baking. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In other news, I still have no beta so all mistake are mine. But at some point I do plan to go back and check everything with fresh eyes... possibly... maybe
> 
> Peggy: He baked... cookies  
> Jarvis: He did  
> Peggy: I'm thinking of a winter wedding  
> Jarvis: I want marigolds so you'll have to rethink that


End file.
